Operatives of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) have arrested a 34-year-old South African woman with 36.65kg of cocaine at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport (MMIA), Lagos, and a 62-year-old Nigerian-American grandmother with 9.45kg of high-grade cannabis, popularly known as loud, allegedly imported from the United States.

In a statement issued on Sunday by Femi Babafemi, Director, Media and Advocacy, NDLEA Headquarters, Abuja, the agency also arrested a physically challenged woman in Delta State and recovered large consignments of illicit drugs in coordinated operations across Lagos, Kano, Bauchi, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Oyo and Delta states.

The South African woman, identified as Qhina Beauty, was arrested on October 7, 2026, at the departure hall of the Lagos airport while attempting to board a Qatar Airways flight to South Africa via Doha.

A search of her two travel bags uncovered 30 blocks of cocaine weighing 36.65kg, allegedly concealed with dried pepper, wrapped in cellophane tape and packed into seven separate parcels.

During questioning, Qhina reportedly told investigators that she arrived in Nigeria on September 30 to collect the consignment. She said another South African woman recruited her and promised to pay her R20,000 upon successful delivery.

She also allegedly identified two other members of the syndicate, one based in the United States and the other a Lagos-based car dealer.

Further investigations led to the arrest of the 46-year-old car dealer, Uchenna Victor Umunnakwe, on October 14 at Apple Junction, Ago Palace Way, Lagos, after days of surveillance at his residence in Shasha.

According to the NDLEA, Umunnakwe admitted receiving Qhina at the airport, lodging her at Santiago Hotel in Amuwo-Odofin and later moving her to Cynarisso Hotel near the airport ahead of her departure.

In a separate operation at the Lagos airport on October 21, operatives arrested Anetor Gloria Ubong, a 62-year-old realtor based in Richmond, Texas, who holds Nigerian and United States passports.

She was arrested upon arrival on a United Airlines flight from Houston. A search of her two checked-in boxes allegedly uncovered 18 parcels of loud weighing 9.45kg, concealed with gift-wrapping paper inside a box.

Ubong reportedly told investigators that her daughter and the daughter’s future brother-in-law had delivered the box to her home in the US for onward delivery in Nigeria to her daughter’s fiancé, identified as Jibola.

Meanwhile, an NDLEA special operations unit arrested 41-year-old Eletu Rasheedat in the Eti-Osa area of Lagos on October 23. Officers recovered 5,820 pills of diazepam, 780 tablets of tramadol, 3.7kg of skunk and 230.25 litres of skuchies.

In Delta State, operatives arrested 51-year-old Peter Ugochukwu in Warri and recovered a large consignment of pharmaceutical opioids and other substances.

The items seized included 29,350 capsules of tramadol, 6,620 tablets of tramadol 200mg, 4,116 bottles of codeine syrup, 11,340 tablets of Rohypnol, 3,500 tablets of diazepam, 300 ampoules of pentazocine injection and 200 ampoules of diazepam injection. Quantities of tramadol 225mg, Molly and Cocodamol were also recovered.

The suspect was transferred to the NDLEA alongside a white Hummer bus by the Nigeria Police Force in Delta State.

In another operation at Enhere Junction, Warri, officers arrested Helen Bakporo Samson, a 46-year-old physically challenged woman, on October 19 and recovered 6kg of skunk.

In Ibadan, Oyo State, operatives arrested 41-year-old Fajana Dada Oluwaseyi on October 19. The agency said he had earlier escaped arrest after officers seized 197.8kg of cannabis from his residence on September 16.

In Kano State, a raid in the Gerawa area on October 22 led to the arrest of 30-year-old Murtala Lawan and the seizure of 159 blocks of cannabis weighing 97.2kg.

At the Lankaviri checkpoint in Yorro Local Government Area of Taraba State, officers arrested 39-year-old Raiyanu Misa on October 23 with 95 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 60.175kg. On the same day, the police handed over another suspect arrested at Dakka village in Bali Local Government Area, alongside 112 blocks of compressed cannabis weighing 81.49kg.

In Niger State, 26-year-old Emmanuel Ekene was arrested on October 19 along the Sabo-Kainji Road in Borgu Local Government Area with 64,000 pills of opioids, including tramadol and diazepam.

In Bauchi State, officers arrested 45-year-old Jamilu Mustapha, also known as Last Card, on October 21 at Nasaru town in Ningi Local Government Area, recovering 379kg of cannabis packed in seven jumbo sacks.

Acting on intelligence, NDLEA operatives raided a farm at Board-Ala in Akure South Local Government Area of Ondo State on October 20 and recovered 56 bags of abandoned cannabis weighing 583kg.

In Edo State, officers destroyed two cannabis farms in Ugbada Forest, Uzebba, Owan West Local Government Area, on October 18. The farms had an estimated yield of 2,023.14kg. Operatives also destroyed 450kg of processed cannabis by burning and retained 97kg as exhibits.

In a related operation at Ewe community in Owan West, officers arrested 42-year-old Mary Edokhai with 35kg of cannabis.

Beyond the arrests and seizures, NDLEA commands and formations across the country sustained their War Against Drug Abuse (WADA) sensitisation campaigns in schools, worship centres, workplaces and communities.

The latest outreach activities included lectures for students and staff of Oje Grammar School in Ibadan, Oyo State; Government Day Secondary School, Kwamba, Niger State; Baptist Primary School, Olorunda, Ogun State; Government Secondary School, Yalea, Kano State; Community Secondary School, Igogoro, Enugu State; Urban Girls Secondary School, Onitsha, Anambra State; and Kelebe Community Grammar School, Osogbo, Osun State.

Commending officers of the MMIA, Kano, Lagos, Bauchi, Niger, Edo, Ondo, Taraba, Oyo and Delta commands for their vigilance and intelligence-led operations, NDLEA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Brig. Gen. Mohamed Buba Marwa (retd.), urged personnel nationwide to sustain the fight against drug trafficking and substance abuse.